Saturday, January 29, 2005

That Empty Tower

I wrote this one day when I was feeling really down, desolate, and really quite nothing. That feeling was so overwhelming that I felt out of control. So, I poured it all out. Perhaps it describes what I felt, perhaps it doesn't. Anyway, I don't really understand the complete meaning of what I wrote when I re-read it. Maybe anyone can enlighten me?
That Empty Tower
Within the deep, dark places
A slow, creepy thing arises
Slow as it seems
It rises, eats
Grows without confines.

A creature unseen,
Always it has been
If left to stay
A high price later to pay.

As it grows, it is like a tower
With dormant power
When more and more
Gets into this core,
Deeper and deeper it bores.

These that go in,
Are like prints made on sand
With just a little wind
They leave, baring the land
Seemingly many
Yet really empty.

Initially thought to fulfil
That deep, deep space
It gives no thrill
Finally to know
It sets even further a pace.

A tall tower it may be
Seemingly strong
When real to see
Echo of emptiness all along.

An empty tower
With nothing to flower
Why not allow a sower
His love here to shower?

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Chocolate Cake

See my title? Perhaps you're wondering what I'm going to write about. Maybe you say, "Hmm... this girl never puts title that directly relate to what she writes...." So what would "Chocolate Cake" be about? Well, you can stop wondering now because I'm going to reveal it to you right now - tada! I'm going to write about..... a chocolate cake! Isn't that surprising?

Hehe.....please bear with me even if you're thinking I'm talking absolute crap....

Anyway, back to my cake. On Saturday, I sort of baked a chocolate cake. Well, not one, but two actually. Because that was how many the batter could make. And I didn't exactly make the batter myself either. Just in case some of you who are going "wow" at my culinary skills. I used that thing out of a box you get in the supermarket, the kind with a nice picture of a deliciously tempting cake on the outside, the kind that you can choose which picture looks most delicious to you. In this case, I picked the picture of one with the most moist looking fudge on top, called "Devil's Food". This tells you that you can actually pick up knowledge from even a box of cake mixture - devils actually eat chocolate cake. And what were we imagining he ate all this time??

So, I poured out the cake mixture into a large bowl. Then I added in the ingredients you had to put, like 3 eggs (I only had 2, but it doesn't matter much, I think), then a half cup of oil, 1 and a quarter cup of water, which I substituted the quarter for milk, because it would be more moist that way. I learnt that from somewhere else, I can't remember.

Then, I'm supposed to beat it with a mixer. My mom is surprised that I found a hand mixer, she forgot she won one I don't know which year ago. Anyway, I use the brand new mixer, with a feeling of excitement. I switch on the speed button, the 1st degree. Maybe now you're expecting me to describe a disaster that you think happens next. Well, actually, ...... I wouldn't call it disaster, just that when the mixer started whirring, I noticed that bits of the batter actually flew out of the bowl and stuck to the stuff around, like the rice cooker, and the water flask.

I stopped the machine, then look desperately around, thinking what can I do now. I don't want my first experience of baking a cake to be leaving a trail of mess in the kitchen. I get my sister to hold the mixer for me over the bowl, then I get some newspapers and spread it on the floor, after which I place the bowl in the floor, with enough distance all around. There, problem solved! I couldn't help feeling the tiniest bit pleased.

Anyway, after that I was supposed to beat it at low speed for 2 minutes, then high for 2 minutes. I used the 1st speed, the slowest, for a few minutes. But I didn't exactly dare to put it on higher speed, because I'm sure if I did, the bits of batter would really fly way, way out of my control. So, I beat it longer than the whole 4 minutes. I'm sure the result would be the same, right?

My mom pours the batter for me into two tins. I watch in fascination as the cake finally bakes, watch as it rises, and rises, and now it looks like a mound. Then it starts having some cracks, and cracks. All the time, you can smell the wonderful smell of chocolate cake coming from the oven. So, in the end, I had 2 nice, warm, moist chocolate cakes. Which tasted even better after we put it into the fridge.

Like my chocolate cake story? Maybe you should try making one. It's good experience. Next time, I think I'll start from scratch, the kind where I have to measure the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and everything else. haha..... I wonder how would that cake be like....

Thursday, January 20, 2005

2nd

Hehe.... I know I haven't been blogging for some time. Anyway, what matters is I'm back! I'm now in my 2nd year of my Architecture course, the first semi-semester. What's cool about this is, since the semi-sem only lasts 7 weeks excluding holidays and exams, there's not much time to study a lot, so I only have 3 subjects, and only 3 days of classes a week! Muahahaha...
I cut my hair recently, last Saturday. So now it's short, just touching my shoulders. And it's not just straight and boring (if i say so) like last time, but it's kinda curlish, framing my face, and round. Which results in a very young, fresh and cute look. And I did not say this myself - I summarized all the comments my family, friends and lecturers made to me. Haha...
I'm hoping for a lot of 2nds, or should I say, new, or renewed efforts this year. Like the 2nd year for me to become more hardworking, 2nd time for me to make my room cleaner, 2nd semester for me to get better results, 2nd effort to make myself taller (if this is possible), and 2nd chance with that somebody.
Anyway, though this is really late - Best wishes for everyone in this new and fresh beginning, hope that we can make better ourselves together!